Automatic car-brake



(No Model.)

' J. nMl'L'LBR. y AUTOMATIC GARA BRAKE. l No. 292,246. Patented Jan. 22, 1884.

SrArfE-s JOHN D. MILLER, or BIG sANDY, AssIGNOEOE ONETHIRD MiERs, OE DALLAs, rrExAs.

PAEENr @ritieni rrO THOs. M;

AUTOMATIC OAR-BRAKE. f

` SPECIFICATION forming` part OLetters Patent No. 292,246, datcdJanuary 22, 1884.,

n i Application filed June 11, 11583. (No model.)

' Big Sandy, in the county of Upshur and State ofv Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Car-Brakes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification. My invention relates to an improvement in automatic car-brakes; and it consists, first, in the combination of the draw-heac'ls, suitable levers which are connected thereto, connecting-rods which extend from opposite ends of one of these levers, and a partially-rotating shaft provided with suitable slotted cams, which cams are attached to the brake-beams, so that when the draw-heads are forced inward or drawn out the brakes will move'out of contactwith the wheels; second, in the combination, with the slotted cams and a mechanism for moving them, ofthe rods which are connected thereto, and which pass .through the brake-beams, the sliding sleeves, the springs, and the nuts upon the ends of the rods; third, in the combination .of the endwise-moving draw-heads, suitable intermediate mechanism attached thereto, and the springs, the movement of the draw-heads in -either direction being made to operate the, brakes, all of which v willbe more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to connect suitable mechanisms with the draw-heads for thepurposeofconnectingthemwiththebrakes, so that any movement of the draw-head in either direction will put on or take off the brakes, as may be desired, and thus make the action of the brakes entirely automatic.

Figure l is 'an inverted, view of a brake mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view.

A .represents the frame of the caryB, the trucks, C, the car-wheels, andv D the brakes which are made to bear against the wheels.

The draw-heads E may be of any suitable construction, and are here arranged in suitable end of the frameis a metallic support, G, upon which thetwo levers H I are pivoted. Theinner end of the lever I is pivoted directly to the under side of the draw-head, so that the draw head as it moves back and forth will operate the lever, and thislever in turn communicates motion to the second lover, H, which is pivoted to it.

In order to give alongerorshorter throwto the i connecting-rods J ,which are attached to the leverH, there is aslot made through the center cf 4 the lever I, so that the pivot or fulcrum K of this lever can be adj usted back and forth. When this pivot is moved toward the draw-head, a longer stroke is given to the connecting-rods J, and when the pivot is moved toward the lever H a shorter movement is imparted to the rods.

As the brakes are operated by the connecting-- rods J, it willrea'dily be seen that in this way the movementgiven to the brakes can be regu-` lated at will. The connecting-rods J are attached to opposite ends of the lever H, and extend diagonally across under the frame of the car, and havetheir ends attachedto opposite ends of the arm or lever M, which is fast' ened to the partially-rotating shaft N, located atl or near the middle of the car. These rods J, being attached to opposite ends of the lever H, are caused to push and pull in opposite directions, for the purpose of turning the shaft N at every movement of either one or both of the draw-heads. This shaft N is pivoted in a suitable frame-work, O, which is secured to the under side of the frame of the car, and has secured to it, near its lower end, the arm or lever l?, which has aslotted cam,- Q, formed upon each of its ends. These cams may either be of vthe form here shown or any other that may be preferred. By means of the curved slot the cams are made to operate the rods which connect them with the brake-beams, whether the draw-heads are forced inward or pulled outward. I/Vhen the draw-heads are forced inward, as when the cars run together or are being backed, the connecting pin, stud,

or projection R, secured to the rod S, and which passes through the slot in the camwill be moved toward one end of the slot, and when the draw-heads are drawn outward, as when the train is in motion, lthe pin, stud, or projection willmove up into the other end.

Secured tothe frame in which the partiallyrotating shaft is 4pivoted are the supports T, through which the rods S pass at their inner ends. The outer ends of these rods pass through the brake-beams U. Upon each rod are placed the sliding sleeve T, the spring XV, and the nut X. The sleeve serves to compress the spring against the brake-beam when the rod S is moved endwise, and the nut serves to shorten the rod, so as to cause a greater or less pressure of the spring to be exerted against the rod, and thus apply the brake with greater or less force. Each brake-beam is suspended from the underside ofthe frame by means of the straps, springs, or other supports, Y, and the brakes attached to this beam are always held in contact with the wheels when the draw-head is in its normal position. These springs will have sufficient power to force the brakes against the wheels with force enough to hold the car in place upon the rails of any ordinary grade. As soon as anumber of ears are fastened together and the train is set in motion, the draw-heads are pulled outward or forced backward, for the purpose of throwing the brakes clear ot' the wheels, according as to whether the train is being pulled or backed. lf the train is beingpulled bythe locomotive, the draw-heads are pulled outward far enough to operate the levers and withdraw the pressure of the brakes from the wheels, and incase the train is being backed the drawheads are forced inward; b ut in either ease thceoimeeting-rods J are made to movethe partially-rotatingshaft and release the wheels from the brakes. As soon as the train stops, the pull or push is released frein the draw-heads, and the brakes are at once applied by means of the springs.

From the above description it will be seen that the brakes are entirely automatic in their operation, and hence the train is made to do its own braking.

I do not limit myself i'o the precise construe tion here shown, for the levers may be connected to the draw-heads in different ways. The manner here shown is most preferable, but is only one of a number of different arrangements.

Havirg thus described my invention, `I claim- 1. In an automatic car-brake, the combination of the endwise-moving draw-heads, the levers connected thereto, the eonnectingrods attached to the levers, a partially-rotating shaft provided with cams, the con necting-rods, springs, and brake-beams, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the endwise-moving draw-head, thelevers H I, the connecting-rods, 65 and the intermediate mechanism for operati n g the brake-beams, the lever I being slotted so that its pivot can be adjusted endwise, substantially as described.

3. The eon1bination,with the partially-rotating shaft provided with cams, and an operati ng mechanism, of the rods, the springs, and the sleeve, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof l afx my si gnature in presence of two witnesses.

JHN D. MILLER.

\Vitnesses:

T. M. Minus, J'. E. Lower. 

